Throughout history, stone has been a vital building material because of its strength, beauty, and inherent appeal. Stone has been used to build long-lasting constructions for ages, from historic monuments to contemporary residences. Because of its resilience, it is suitable for both interior and exterior design projects, providing a diverse array of appearances. There are numerous varieties of stone, each with a distinct texture and color, including marble, granite, and limestone. Because of this diversity, stone may be creatively used by architects and builders to create accents or entire buildings. This curated selection of Unbuilt Architecture,submitted by the ArchDaily community, showcases how stone is still a dependable and adaptable building material that can combine old-world craftsmanship with contemporary style.
Snøhetta has unveiled a vacation home design nestled within the landscape of Hokkaido Island for the Japanese hospitality group NOT A HOTEL. Situated atop the renowned Rusutsu Resort, the project centers itself around Mount Yotei and provides framed views. The 1200 sqm building’s design aims to be minimal, influenced by the surrounding terrain and defined site boundaries.
The Skidmore Owings & Merril (SOM) two-tower development in Downtown Chicago has just started construction. Situated at the intersection of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, the new residential development seeks to redefine Chicago’s skyline. Composed of 635 residential units in its first phase, 20% of which are designated as affordable housing, the scheme also outlines the design of DuSable Park. Phase one of the project has officially commenced, occupying the last undeveloped waterfront parcel in the Streeterville neighborhood.
Metropolitan cityscapes come with the appeal of sophistication, luxury, and exclusivity. Their glittering skylines and vibrant energy attract thousands of tourists and residents seeking luxurious experiences every year. Catering to this market, several renowned brands and real estate firms have teamed up to offer "branded residences" – a modern typology that elevates hotel-like living into a daily delight.
The concept of branded residences can be traced back nearly a century to 1927 when New York City's Sherry-Netherland Hotel and Apartments joined forces with the famous Sherry's restaurant. Over the past decade, the trend has witnessed a 230% growth with over 580 developments from 133 brands equating to nearly 100,000 residential units established worldwide. The drive for this demand goes beyond aesthetics and architectural grandeur. World-class services and amenities such as spas, fitness centers, private cinemas, and concierge services offered by luxury housing developments build on a sense of indulgence.
Beyond being a prefabricated material currently produced in large quantities, the use of concrete blocks in architecture continues to evolve to meet the demands and needs of contemporary societies that are constantly changing. Whether in interior or exterior spaces, their use can align with concepts of circular economy, resource efficiency, sustainability, and more, with the goal of creating habitable spaces while also understanding their constructive advantages and disadvantages, their expressive and aesthetic qualities, and so on.
American architecture and engineering firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), in collaboration with Mexico City-based Estudio AMA and interior designer Esrawe Studio, has revealed a new 190-meter-tall mixed-use tower in Guadalajara, Mexico. The new addition, which broke ground on May 24, is slanted to become the tallest building in the Andares Zapopan district of the city, offering residential units, hotel rooms, and various amenities.
Organizing, shaping, stacking. Transforming raw materials from the soil into architecture. This is a challenge that many Latin American architects embrace, demonstrating that scarcity can be daunting but also a rich opportunity to unleash creativity.
The use of materials extracted from the local soil serves a dual purpose. In regions with limited industrialization, using locally sourced materials makes economic sense because industrial materials such as concrete and steel are expensive and often require long-distance transportation, adding to their cost. Environmentally, choosing locally sourced materials from the start of a project reduces transportation needs and carbon emissions, supporting sustainability efforts.
Delving into the realm of unbuilt architectural projects by renowned offices offers a peak into the design principles and ethos of the studios. The curated list of unbuilt projects submitted by established architecture practices has the potential to reveal new perspectives on the socio-cultural and environmental factors shaping contemporary architecture. These designs often respond to complex challenges such as sustainability, urbanization, and cultural preservation, reflecting architects' efforts to navigate and contribute meaningfully to the built environment.
Within this curated selection, one standout project is Rafael Viñoly Architects' Médano El Pinar, marking the late architect's last contribution to the architectural landscape. Other projects such as Aedas' Ellinikon Commercial Hub explore the opportunities of new developments, such as the disused airport transformed into Europe's largest coastal park in the periphery of Athens, while others are highlighting natural landscapes or offering spaces for creative and innovative programs. Featuring internationally recognized offices like SOM, Kohn Pedersen Fox, Gensler, or GAD Architecture, the selection showcases the unrealized concepts and architectural experimentations of renowned offices.
Apartamento 43 / cli·ma arquitectura. Image Cortesía de cli·ma arquitectura
Faced with the various ways of inhabiting that characterize contemporary societies and their adaptability to future uses in architecture, lofts represent an opportunity to design spaces ranging from storage areas to living, study, leisure, or even resting spaces, both for their residents and potential visitors. Depending on their scales, sizes, and proportions, these elevated spaces allow for the optimization of interior environments in apartments that, in some cases, lack sufficient square footage to perform these types of functions at ground level and have a certain height to accommodate them.
New York-based architecture office ODA has unveiled its design for Lorimer House and Copper Lofts, a development comprised of two residential buildings located in East Williamsburg in New York City. The design takes advantage of the triangular shape of the plot, employing rounded corners throughout the building to soften its image and create contextual references to its urban surroundings. Containing a total of 336 residential units, in addition to various amenities, the construction is slated for completion in 2024.
No longer relegated to the domain of temporary structures or utilitarian living, modular housing is increasingly gaining traction. Prefabricated homes are disrupting the architecture industry with their efficient construction, predictable costs, and reduced environmental impact. Modular housing is rooted in the idea of quick replication and standardization. In a world that prioritizes customization, how might modular housing meet the needs of diverse individuals?
As construction materials costs increase, builders and developers are seeking alternatives to traditional home construction methods to address housing shortages. In response, an expanding construction technology field is the 3D printing sector. This technology promises quicker, cheaper construction and the potential to extrude local and recycled materials. However, due to the slow-changing nature of the construction industry, a radical shift involving large-scale 3D-printing machines on-site and a complete overhaul of the construction process seems unlikely shortly.
Prefabricated 3D printing modular housing offers a compelling solution, providing the benefits of 3D printing advancements while leveraging standard construction machinery and labor. In off-site 3D-printed construction, there is no need to transport massive 3D-printing machines on-site. Instead, components are printed in a controlled environment and then assembled on-site. These types of 3D-printed residential modular kits of parts are already being manufactured and are attracting significant investment.
Taller Frida Escobedo has unveiled a new residential project to take shape in Brooklyn, New York. The 209,000-square-foot project titled after its location, Boerum Hill – Bergen, aims to become a contextual addition to the neighborhood, adapting its materiality and scale to the surrounding context. The developers, Avdoo & Partners, also enlisted Workstead for interior design, DXA for master planning, and DXA and Patrick Cullina for landscape design. The project is scheduled for completion in 2025.
Foster + Partners has just begun construction on “The Edge,” its inaugural project in Uruguay. Situated along the Rambla Tomas Berreta in Montevideo’s Carrasco neighborhood, the scheme extends along the coastline to the eastern borders. Encompassing 60 meters of shoreline, the development includes eight residential units that form around a circular courtyard enclosed in glass, each offering unique views of the water.
Almada Housing Plot C - Icaro / MASSLAB. Image Courtesy of MASSLAB
In every city, urban housing projects represent most of the built environments, reflecting an intricate weave of societal needs and architectural visions. This roundup of unbuilt projects submitted by the ArchDaily Community offers a lens into the dynamic interplay between design constraints and creative opportunities. From the revitalization of urban fragments to the exploration of innovative construction methods, architects navigate a terrain shaped by sustainability imperatives, community inclusivity, and evolving urban dynamics.
The diversity of unbuilt urban housing projects showcased here underscores the breadth of architectural interventions, featuring commitments to sustainability and inclusivity. From projects featuring new building materials such as wooden construction systems to those created to maximize sunlight or engage the larger community, this week’s curated selection showcases unbuilt collective housing projects from around the world.
Sloped terrain offers a tantalizing prospect for developers. With breathtaking views over either natural or urban landscapes, often without the realistic possibility of being overlooked by future development, a parcel of land on a slope provides a high reward. However, whether it’s the extra excavation involved to cut and fill or cantilever out on a flat surface, the complications of water drainage, or the loss of light and difficulty of access at the front of the property, building on sloped terrains is not without its difficulties.
But it’s not necessarily the angle of the site that’s most at fault, it’s the shape of the building. By splitting up a multi-story structure and repositioning – possibly even disconnecting – each level, projects designed to comply with the existing topography by applying multiple ground levels can reduce the amount of excavation required. The split floor plan can also help to improve access and natural light and increase both interior and exterior space.
